Officers injured, arrests made during Lakers celebration

At least 25 people were reportedly arrested and five officers injured after thousands of Los Angeles Laker fans took to the streets following the team's championship victory in Orlando in a celebration that turned ugly when a number of ''knuckleheads'' started fires, looted several stores, tried to overturn cars and assaulted police.

The majority of the crowd whooped it up after the Lakers secured their 15th NBA trophy but a small group of people, whom police Chief William Bratton termed, ``knuckleheads,'' began to vandalize the area outside the downtown arena.

The Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 99-86 Sunday, taking the series four games to one. It's the team's 15th championship and coach Phil Jackson's 10th, which is more than any other NBA coach.

Following the victory in Orlando, thousands of people streamed into the streets outside Staples Center in downtown L.A. and in East Los Angeles to celebrate the victory.

While most of the crowd celebrated safely, small groups of people used the party atmosphere as an excuse to run wild, set bonfires, light fireworks, commit vandalism, loot stores, try to overturn vehicles and pelt police with bottles, rocks and even fire crackers.

Police were out in force, and manage to split the crowd into smaller groups even as they became targets for fan violence. Five officers were injured when fans hurled bricks and bottles, said Los Angeles police Sgt. Andy Mathes of the Central Station.

One officer was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries, he said.

Police arrested two people for arson, five more for vandalism and about 10 or 11 others for failing to disperse, Mathes said.

The Los Angeles Times, however, reported late last night that 25 people had been arrested.

Outside Staples Center, several mosh pits developed, with fans running into each other, and some started a small bonfire in the street, prompting police to move in and put it out.

Nearby streets were closed to traffic so fans could celebrate on Chick Hearn Court.

The main crowd began breaking up around 9 p.m. Sunday, leaving behind troublemakers, who set trees on fire and shook vehicles that were leaving the area.

A few blocks away from Staples, on 12th Street near Pico Boulevard, about 100 people in a splinter group threw traffic-control flares at vehicles, while motorists barreled through the crowd so they would not have their vehicles rocked or overturned.

At Pico and Flower Street, revelers broke the glass windows of a shoe store and looted the business. A Shell gas station at Olympic Boulevard and Grand Avenue also was looted.

In East Los Angeles, hundreds of people congregated at the intersection of Whittier and Atlantic boulevards, which was blocked to traffic, while police were on every corner to monitor the reveling.

Disturbances have followed Lakers championship victories in the past, and fans took to the streets and began shaking vehicles in East Los Angeles Thursday night after the Lakers beat the Magic in overtime to gave the team a 3- 1 lead in the series.

Fans gathered at Whittier and Atlantic boulevards and rocked vehicles stopped at a traffic light, but no injuries were reported. Two people were arrested.

Street disturbances also followed Lakers championship victories in 2000, 2001 and 2002.